Adjustable reference book



Dec. 18, 1928. 1,695,328

w. A. GORDON ET AL ADJUSTABLE REFERENCE BOOK Filed May 11, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 By fi er/ 0126 64 1i A TTORNE Y Dec. 18, 1928. 1,695,328

w. A. GORDON ET AL ADJUSTABLE REFERENCE BOOK Filed May 11, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y fifarrom W ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,695,328 PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER A. GORDON, OF GARDEN CITY, AND JAMES J. MURPHY AND PASCAL PER- RONE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS T0 AMERICAN TELEPHONE TELEGRAPH COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE REFERENCE BOOK,

Application filed May 11, 1926. Serial No. 108,378

This invention relates to improvements in reference books, and more particularly to such books which are capable of adjustment.

The invention consists of a conventional adjustable loose-leaf binder containing a number of similar independent leaves upon which are arranged a multiplicity of independent detachable strips carrying the reference matter. The binder permits any desired arrangement and rearrangement and independent removal, substitution and addition of a leaf or leaves, and the individual leaves permit any arrangement and rearrangement and independent removal, substitution and addition, and transfer from one leaf to another of the detachable strips upon which the reference matter is written. The result is a filing medium in the form of a bound book of great flexibility and convenience for written information requiring relatively frequent revision, additions thereto and deletions therefrom. Such a reference medium is especially applicable as an index of telephone subscribers, in which the name, address and telephone number and other information may be entered upon the detachable stripswhich may be inserted into the re movable leaves of the book in any desired sequence or order, and the leaves in turn bound in any desired sequence or order in the conventional loose-leaf binder. The adjustable features of the improved book provide the necessary flexibility in arrangement and composition of the reference matter to accommodate the relatively frequent revisions, additions to and deletions from an index of telephone subscribers. In order that a book may be limited to sizes easily handled, an index may be compiled in two or more volumes, as practical considerations dictate. A reference book of this general character is particularly adapted for the use of telephone company information operators who supply the companys subscribers and general public with the telephone number of subscribers with whom they wish to communicate by telephone. It also provides a convenient medium for an index in one or more bound volumes that may be readily kept up to date to supplement the information contained in the companys printed di rectories.

While this invention is intended for use primarily in connection with telephone company information service it is not intended to limit its scope to such application. It may be also applied as an adjustable reference book for other purposes.

Other and further features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the removable leaf with a sufiicient number of detachable strips in place for purposes of illustration; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the leaves arranged in a conventional loose-leaf binder with the binder semi-detached; Fig. 4 shows the leaves bound in the binder to form an adjustable reference book.

The numeral 9 in the drawings indicates a retaining bar of metal or fibre which fits tightly upon the panel to assist in holding the detachable strips below in position.

The detachable strips or cards 10 are composed of a fibre or other suitable composition to provide the necessary flexibility to permit them to be inserted into or detached from the removable leaf. The strips are also of the necessary resiliency to permit them to be bent and to return to normal condition so that they will be approximately flat against the leaf. The finish of the strip is such as to allow legible writing upon its surfaces either by virtue of the nature of the composition itself or by means of the attachment to its surfaces in suitable manner of a satisfactory material such as writing paper.

The loose-leaf is constructed of a rigid or semi-rigid leaf or panel 11, to the edges of which are attached by riveting or other suitable means, rigid or semi-rigid members 12 and 13 of forked cross-section, (Figs. 1 and 2) which serve to hold the detachable strips 10 on either or both faces of the panel. The inner sides of the forked members 12 and 13 form channels or grooves with the surfaces of panel 11 along two of the opposing edges of the panel into which the detachable strips 10 may be inserted. The dimension of the channels thus formed between the surface of panel 11 and the inner surface of the forked members is intended to-be only slightly greater than the thickness of the detach able strips so that a relatively tight fit will forked members 12 and 13 are shown in the present instance as being identically crimped against the panel 11 at its lower edge to serve as a supplementing support for the detachable strips 10 and to prevent their falling out when the book is held in an upright position. The identical crimping of pieces 12 and 13 also serves to hold the strips in perpendicular alignment with the side edges of the panel.

The panels 11 are constructed of a semirigid or rigid material or fibre or light weight metal, preferably aluminum. The panels maybe perforated or cut away, in any desired manner, to lighten their weight, and in the present instance, the cutaway portions are (indicated by the numeral 17 The forked members 12 and 13 may be constructed from materials similar to those used for panel 11.

A bifurcated member 14, which maybe of material similar to the panel members 12 and 13, together with a rigid or semi-rigid rod 15 and forked member 13 combine to form a so-called piano hinge. Attached to the member 1 1 in suitable manner is a flexible piece of material 16 such as leather. This flexible material. serves as a means for bind ing the leaf in a conventional loose-leaf binder, and has a plurality of holes 18 punched to fit the rings or posts of the binder selected. The thickness of the material 16 at the binding point is equal to the maximum thickness through the leaf at any other point either by virtue of the thickness of the material itself or by the addition of layers of similar or dissimilar material at this point, so that a plurality of leaves when associated with each other, will lie fiat in a a binder. The binder selected for purposes of illustration herein requires in addition to holes 18, that the binding piece 16 be cut out in the form of an are at both outer corners, in the manner indicated by the numeral 19, to provide space for the posts, 23, shown in Fig. 3. This cut-away portion may be punched or formed to suit the requirements of the loose-leaf binder used. Thebinder illustrated herein to indicate the practicability of binding a plurality of leaves of the kind described is a conventional type, shown broken apart in Fig. 3 and in assembled form in Fig. 4:. The binder consists of two separate covers 20, hinged to overlapping, rigid back pieces 21, in which are fixed two sets of telescoping binding posts, 23 secured together by screws, substantially as illustrated. An independent flat bar 22, shown dotted, carries two aflixed prongs 24 which fit into two of the series of holes 18 which are punched in the flexible member 16, Fig. 1. A similar bar is attached to the right-hand cover of the binder near its hinge. The two prongs 25 affixed to said bar which receive the flexible member 16 of the removable leaves, and which may be seen protruding above the leaves in the right-hand messes portion of Fig. 3, are mounted to fit into holes alternate from those in which the prongs 24 register. When the binder is separated in the manner shown in'Fig. 3 it Wlll be readily appreciated that the removable leaves may be easily rearranged, removed and new leaves inserted in the binder. To bind the book, bar22, with such leaves as may be threaded upon its prongs, is placed over the leaves on the right-hand portion of the book,

(Figs. 3) in such manner that its prongs fit into the holes provided for them in the flexible binding strips of the removable leaves. The left portion of the cover may be then located in proper osition with respect to the rlght portion of t e cover and the telescoping posts fastened together to provide a bound book substantially as illustrated in Fig. 4. I

Fig 4 illustrates the practicability of binding a plurality of leaves 0f-the type herein described into book form. The hin e of each leaf or panel allows the panel itsel to swing freely, while the flexible binding strip provides the additional degree of' flexibility necessary for the leaves to lie in the natural manner into which leaves fall in' an open book.

Each of the improved reference books may have any desired letter, figure or legend associated therewith for ready reference. The discs of the rotary file may be also marked by desired inscriptions, as shown. The inscriptions which may be associated with the leaf or leaves of the books and discs may serve as indexes 0r guides whereby the matter contained in the books may be turned to readily.

While there is shown and described herein one preferred form of the invention by way of illustration, it will be understood that it is not limited or confined to the precise details or construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claims withput departing from the spirit of the inven What is claimed is:

1. A reference book comprising a looseleaf binder, a plurality of leaves adapted to be held in said binder, a series of detachable strips mounted on each leaf, a hinge associated with each leaf, and flexible means associated with each hinge whereby a plurality of similarly arranged leaves may be joined togetherv 1n detachable relation in said binder.

2. A reference book comprising a looseleaf binder, a plurality of leaves adapted to be contained therein, each leaf having a pair of parallel channels formed on the edges thereof, a series of detachable strips mounted in successive relation in said channels, a hinge associated with each leaf, and flexible means associated with each hinge adapted to be detachab y mounted in said bind r ith a plurality of similar means associated with cessible when it is desired to consult the in- 10 a-p'lurality of other leaves. formation inscribed on said data strips.

3. A leaf for a visible index having chan- In testimony whereof, we have signed our nels at each edge thereof, data strips removnames to this specification this 8th day of ably mounted in said channels, and a flexible May, 1926. Y member hinged to one edge of said leaf, said flexible member being adapted to be at- WALTER A. GORDON. tached in a holder fora plurality of similar JAMES J. MURPHY. leaves so that the leaves may be readily ac- PASCAL PERRONE. 

